Is Earl Thomas eyeing an Emerald City exit?
Following Seattle's season-saving victory over the Dallas Cowboys, the Seahawks safety attempted to enter the Cowboys locker room and told Cowboys coach Jason Garrett, "If y'all have the chance, come get me."
Thomas clarified the intentions of his visit to reporters soon after.
"I've always been a Cowboys fan growing up. The biggest thing when I said 'come get me,' I didn't literally mean, 'come get me now,'" Thomas explained to reporters. "I'm still in the prime of my career, I still want to be here. But when Seattle kicks me to the curb, please, the Cowboys, come get me. You know? This is the place where I want to be when they kick me to the curb. So that's what I meant by. People take me too serious. That's just who I am."
Thomas has one year left on a five-year deal in Seattle and is owed around $10.4 million next season. If released, Thomas would cost Seattle only $1.9 million in dead salary-cap money, according to Spotrac.
Thomas added that if Seattle were to offer him a contract extension after the season, that "would be a great Christmas present." If he doesn't get an extension? "Then, [Cowboys], please come get me."
For what it's worth, Thomas added that he is "happy" in Seattle and loves being there. It should be noted that Thomas is a Texas native and made a BCS title game with the Texas Longhorns.
The safety's provocative postgame comments are significant, considering his recent spat with Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner. Thomas criticized Wagner after last week's blowout loss to the Los Angeles Rams for attempting to play on an injured hamstring. Wagner responded with a soon-deleted tweet: "E keep my name out yo mouth. Stop being jealous of other people (sic) success. I still hope you keep balling bro."
Thomas isn't the only Legion of Boomer with a critical contract situation. Injured cornerback Richard Sherman's pact also ends following the 2018 season; he is owed over $13 million. The same goes for injured defensive end Cliff Avril, who's owed $8 million. Wagner is signed through 2019 and Michael Bennett and Kam Chancellor are under contract through 2020, but according to NFL Network's Michael Silver, none of the above five players, except Wagner, are expected to be on the team in 2018; Chancellor might be forced to retire due to his neck injury.
This isn't the first time Thomas has been open and honest about his future in the middle of the season. Following his devastating leg injury last season, he tweeted that he was considering retirement.
"I don't want to get too deep into it, but it's a business," Thomas concluded, "and we have some great young guys coming in and you never know."
